今年加州的厄尔尼诺天气让俺家后院早春二月的花墙到三月初才形成，不过花的密度比往年有增无减，花香也越来越浓郁。
说起茉莉花，想必大家都会想到那清香无比的白色小花，茉莉花茶更是人们再熟悉不过的了。自古国人就特别喜爱茉莉花，写茉莉花的名诗更是无数。宋代诗人江奎更是将茉莉列为花王。
一般来讲，茉莉花分为大花茉莉和小花茉莉两类，大花茉莉包括摩洛哥茉莉（Jaminum officinale）印度茉莉（Jasminum grandiflorum），但如果从植物学上来讲大花茉莉应该单指Jasminum officinale var. grandiflorum药用茉莉大花变种（也称印度茉莉）。
小花茉莉只是相对大花茉莉的一个称呼，其实它的花并不小。她的学名是：Jasminumsambac，一般翻译为阿拉伯茉莉（以前有看到把她翻译成印度茉莉的，那是错的哟，可别搞混了，要看拉丁文的哟！）
有很多人会看到不同品牌的茉莉，中文名字有很多，如：摩洛哥茉莉，法国茉莉，印度茉莉，埃及茉莉，阿拉伯茉莉，估计一般人肯定晕了。其实最重要的就是看拉丁文和植物产地。
茉莉是公主型的植物，需要全神贯注的照顾才行。非常挑剔土壤，否则茉莉虽然不少开花，但香气并不浓。
大花茉莉的味道与我们平时喝的茉莉花茶味道有着极大的区别。大花茉莉中含有高量的“吲哚”成份，是非常珍贵的成份哟！相比之下，小花茉莉也就是阿尔伯茉莉的味道就好闻多了，是虽然也是强烈的花香，但清纯，淡雅了很多，带着青绿的幽香，仿佛月光下的仙子（就是我们熟悉的茉莉花茶香味）。
来美国之前，在上海和江南见到的都是小花茉莉。第一次见到大花茉莉是搬到现在的家的第二年早春，在后院的墙上，零星的几丛，年复一年，花开花落，到今年的春天已是一片茂密的花墙了。。。
谢谢观贴！
原来中文名字叫多花素馨。多花素馨（学名：Jasminum polyanthum）是木犀科素馨属的植物，是中国的特有植物。分布在中国大陆的云南、贵州、四川等地，生长于海拔1,400米至3,000米的地区，一般生于灌丛、山谷及疏林，目前尚未由人工引种栽培。别名:素兴花, 鸡爪花、狗牙花（云南）。多谢彩烟游士！
Jasminum polyanthum, also known as Pink Jasmine (or White Jasmine), is an evergreen twining climber native to China and Burma (Myanmar). It produces an abundance of reddish-pink flower buds in late winter and early spring, followed by fragrant five-petalled star-like white flowers which are about 2 cm in diameter. It has compound leaves with 5 to 7 leaflets which are dark green on the upper surface and a lighter green on the lower surface. The terminal leaflet is noticeably larger than the other leaflets. The plant is very vigorous and can grow up to 6 metres in height when supported. Depending on the climate, this vine has a semi-deciduous to evergreen foliage.
Jasminum polyanthum is well known as a house plant in the USA and Europe. It can also grow in the garden, when climate conditions are good. USDA hardiness zones: 8 - 11. It grows fast and easily, and flowers nicely. Outside it can be used to cover walls and fences etc. It can grow in sun and light shade as well. It is propagated by seed and by suckers. Jasminum polyanthum was given the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the RHS in 1993. It was chosen on the Bicentenary list of 200 plants for the RHS: “This popular houseplant is an easily-grown, evergreen, half-hardy climber with loose panicles in summer of many strongly-fragrant pink-backed, white, trumpet-shaped flowers. It does not suffer pest or disease problems and is simple to propagate.
